Ski binding mounting and runner construction



July 12, 1966 J. G. F. HEUVEL 3,260,532

SKI BINDING MOUNTING AND RUNNER CONSTRUCTION Filed April 2, 1965 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 \\W I 'I'IIIIIIIIIIIIIII EKQ a:

ATTORNEY July 12, 1966 J. G. F. HEUVEL 3,260,532

SKI BINDING MOUNTING AND RUNNER CONSTRUCTION 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed April 2. 1965 H6. ffa

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ATTORNEY 3,269,532 SKI BINDING MOUNTING AND RUNNER CONSTRUCTION Johan G. F. Heuvel, 7480 Mountain Sights, Apt. 423, Montreal, Quebec, Canada Filed Apr. 2, 1965, Ser. No. 444,996 8 Claims. (Cl. 280-1113) This invention relates generally to skis, and more particularly to improvements to aid the skier to negotiate variable terrain and snow conditions.

This application is a continuation-in-part of applicants copending application, Serial No. 341,657, filed January 31, 1964, entitled, Terrain Conforming and Torsional- Responsive Skis.

Primary objects of the present invention are to provide a novel two-point binding mounting for a ski runner; to provide an improved ski runner including a novel structure in which the tip and tail portions have substantially independent but coordinated functions; to provide an improved ski binding mounting which includes lost motion means alfording edging after a predetermined interval of sideslip, and in which the lost motion means can be adjusted for a wide range of snow conditions and terrain irregularities.

These together with other and more specific objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from a consideration of the following description in conjunction with the accompanying drawings forming a part thereof, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a top plan view of a ski incorporating the invention;

-- FIGURE 2 is a side elevation of the ski of FIGURE 1 showing in phantom lines a side elevational profile of a conventional ski runner;

. FIGURE 3 is an enlarged, fragmentary elevation of a portion of FIGURE 2, with portions broken away and shown in section;

FIGURES 4 and 5 are vertical sections, respectively taken on the respective planes of lines 4-4 and 55 of FIGURE 3;

L FIGURE 6-is a side elevational view similar to FIG- URE 2 showing another type ski runner and binding plate mounting;

FIGURE 7 is a fragmentary, exploded perspective view of the lost motion mounting of the binding mounting plate to insure a side-slipping prior to edging of the ski prior to and during turns;

FIGURE 8 is a diagram showing in phantom lines the theoretical position of the ski when weight is distributed on both side edges of the ski member;

FIGURE 9 is a diagram showing in phantom lines the position of the ski when the weight is imposed on one ski edge;

FIGURE 10 is a fragmentary exploded perspective view of a binding plate bracket without the lost motion connection;

FIGURE 11a is a side elevational view showing still another embodiment of the invention, and showing means for adjusting when edging will occur or the altering of the effective edging of the ski edges;

FIGURE 11b is a similar side elevational view of still another embodiment of the invention, and showing means for adjusting when edging will occur or altering the effective edging of the ski edges;

FIGURE 12 is an exploded perspective view showing assembly details of the binding plate mounting of the embodiment of FIGURE 11a;

FIGURE 13 is an enlarged vertical section taken substantially on the plane of line 13-13 of FIGURE 11a;

FIGURE 14 is an exploded perspective view showing 1 United States Patent 0 "ice assembly details of the binding plate mounting of the embodiment of FIGURE 11b; and

FIGURE 15 is an enlarged vertical section taken substantially on the plane of line 15-15 of FIGURE 11b.

Referring to the drawings in detail, and first considering FIGURES 1-5, a ski is indicated generally at 10 and includes an elongated ski runner member 12 and a binding plate mounting 14.

The ski runner member 12 may comprise metal, wood and/or plastic laminates of all known constructions, and/ or various combinations of the same.

The specific details of the boot binding are not shown; however, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various release bindings, etc., may be mounted on the binding plate mounting 14.

The ski member 12 includes a tip portion 16 and tail portion 18, and has a plastic laminated running undersurface 20 and suitably secured metal edges 22 and 24.

The mounting plate 14 comprises forward and rear mounting elements 26 and 28 to which are secured respective forward and rear ends of a binding mounting plate 30 overlying the upper surface of and extending longitudinally of the ski runner member 12.

The mounting plate element 14 includes a forward, upper rigid plate 32 secured to the undersurface at the forward end of binding mounting plate 30 by means of suitable fasteners 34. The plate 32 overlies a fiat block 36 of hard rubber or similar material which is secured to the upper surface of the runner member 12 by the plate 32 through fasteners 38 extending through plate 32 and the ski runner 12.

The mounting plate element 28 also includes an upper rigid plate 40 secured to the undersurface of the rear end of the binding plate 30 by means of fasteners 42. The plates 40 and 32 may be constructed of a suitable metal or similar material. The plate 40 is secured to the upper surface of the runner member 12 by fasteners 44 which extend through relatively soft filler blocks 46. The blocks 46 flank a longitudinally disposed, block element 48 which is more rigid than filler blocks 46. The side edges 50 and 52 of the block 48 are disposed inwardly of the adjacent side eges of the ski runner.

The torque applied to the ski runner edges 22 and 24 will vary the mounting plate element 28 as compared with the mounting plate element 26 due to the lost motion effect at the side edges of the rigid block 48. This will cause delayed action of edging at the ski tails which is essential at the initiation and completion of a parallel or Christie turn where controlled side slip and edging are essential.

In order to prevent snow from becoming impacted beneath the mounting plate 30, a filler block of resilient foam rubber material 54 is provided.

The ski runner 12, as will be observed in FIGURE 2, is of an unusual and novel construction. A conventional ski runner 12 is superimposed on the side elevational view of FIGURE 2 to emphasize the novel structure and function of the ski runner.

The conventional ski runner 12' has a upwardly-concave, intermediate portion which is thicker in its vertical, transverse dimension than the forward and rear surface engaging portions 58 and 60', respectively. This conventional construction, in theory, provides a spring-like action to the ski when the skier unweights the ski during a turn, i.e., when rising suddenly from a bent-knee position.

The ski runner 12, includes two thickened portions 56 and 57 merging into an intermediate, thinned portion 59 which is concave instead of convex when compared with the corresponding portions of the conventional ski runner at portion 56'. The portions 56 and 57 of the ski runner of this invention merge into forward and rear thinned portions 58 and 60, respectively.

When applying downward pressure on plate 38, the tail and tip portions 18 and 16 will momentarily be urged upwardly or become unweighted as the distance between plate 30 and portion 59 decreases. Intermediate portion 59, in a sense, provides, an intermediate fulcrum to facilitate unweighting of the ski during turns.

Additionally, by having the thin concave portion 59, sections 58 and 60 might be considered to be, in a sense, independently-acting runner sections, so that angling of the mounting plate 30 with respect to the fall line; illus trated diagram-atically in FIGURES 8 and 9, for example, will provide different edging characteristics due to diferent torque-response characteristics of the front and rear ski sections.

The ski runner of FIGURE 2, during direct descent down the fall line of a slope, for example, shows threepoint contact with the running surface, i.e., at portions 58, 59 and 60, which affords the skier with better weight distribution over the entire lengthof the ski runner and a correspondingly greater feeling of control due to increased running surface contact.

Referring to FIGURES 6-9, another embodiment of the novel ski is indicated generally at 100. This embodiment illustrates a more complex torque control system where a ski runner 112 includes a plurality of spaced convex portions 159, 159' and 159" which will equalize the weight distribution over the length of the ski and give a skier a greater feeling of confidence and security due to increased ski contact with the slope surface.

A binding plate mounting 114 is provided which includes forward and rear mounting elements 126 and 128.

The mounting elements 126 and 128 are connected to a binding mounting plate 130 upon which suitable releasebindings or the like will be mounted. Each of the mounting elements 126 and 128 is shown in this embodiment to be similar in structure and function, and only one; see FIGURE 7, will be described in detail. The mounting elements, as will become apparent from the subsequent description, provide a lost motion connection whereby delayed edging or torque application to the ski runner edges is effected to facilitate side slip before edge setting.

The mounting element 126 includes a bracket having spaced, mutually parallel plates 129 and 131 integrally connected by horizontal end plates 132 and 134 and an intermediate vertical plate 136. Braces 138 and 140 are provided if necessary. A spacer plate 142 and 144 is provided beneath each plate 132 and 134-, respectively. Plates 132, 142 and 134, 144, respectively, include aligned apertures through which fasteners 146 are threaded from beneath runner 112 and extending through apertures 148 on the runner 112 for securely mounting element 126 on the ski runner.

The vertical plate 136 includes a substantially rectangular central slot 150 therethrough, flanked by apertures 152 and 154.

The mounting plate 130 has secured to a flat, undersurface portion 156 by means of screws 158 an apertured plate 160. The plate 160 has integral therewith and projecting beyond end 162 of plate 130 a stop or abutment tongue element 164 flanked by stop pins 166 and 168 disposed parallel in parallel, coplanar relation to the tongue 164.

The tongue 164 and pins 166 and 168 will be loosely received in the slot 150 and apertures 152 and 154 as illustrated diagramatically in FIGURE 8. When torque is applied by angling the mounting plate 130 as illustrated in FIGURE 9, prior to the tongue 164 and pins 166 and 168 abuttingly engaging in the slot 150 and apertures 152 and 154, a delay of torque-transmittal will occur, i.e., edge 170 will not be edged until the abutting engagement occurs, and thus sideslip before edging will be insured.

Considering FIGURE 10, a modified bracket element is indicated generally at 126'. In this embodiment, plates i 129' and 131 are mounted on the ski member as in the previously described embodiment of FIGURES 6-9. An intermediate plate 136' includes an apertured, horizontal ledge 137 which will have secured thereto by fasteners 158 the mounting plate 130. A spacer plate or shim 160' may be interposed between plate and ledge 137.

In the embodiment of FIGURE 10, it is evident that no lost motion connection is provided as in the embodiment of FIGURES 6-9. The bracket element 128 (having a lost motion connection) may be provided only at the rear end of mounting plate 130. In this manner, torque-transmittal, i.e., edging, is immediately provided forwardly of the mounting plate, while delayed torque application occurs at the rear edge. This results in sideslip at the tails prior to edging of the ski tails to afford the reduction of speed prior to turning to afford control of the ski during a turn.

When slalom skiing, the slalom runner must pass through a series of prescribed gates which results in the skier making a series of very short and compact traverses of the fall line along which the gates are positioned. Since the greatest speed may be obtained by descending directly down the fall line, the optimum direction through a slalom course is that closest to the fall line, i.e., the tighter or more compact the turns, the faster the course will be skied.

A maneuver generally recognized by slalom runners is known as the step turn which consists of an appreciable edging of the inside and outside edges of the skis alternately as each turn is effected.

In addition to providing initial sideslip, the present invention provides adjustable mounting means whereby torque-control or edging on the ski edges may be effected, particularly adapting the skis for slalom running, for example.

In FIGURES 11a, 12 and 13, there is disclosed a ski and boot binding mounting plate, whereby the effective asymmetric edging is adjustable by the skier while out on the slopes, for example, depending upon snow conditions or personal preference.

In FIGURE 11a, a ski is indicated generally at 200 and comprises an assembly which, in external appearance, is similar to the ski of FIGURE 6. A runner member 212 has mounted thereon a boot binding plate 230 gvhich is retained thereon by mounting elements 226 and The mounting elements 226 and 228 are essentially of the same construction and only the element 226 will be described in detail.

As seen in FIGURE 12, the mounting element 226 includes spaced, mutually parallel plates 229 and 231 which are retained on the ski runner 212 by means of fastening elements 246 extending through apertures in the runner and threadedly engaging plates 232 and 234 which extend between plates 229 and 231. Braces 238 and 240 are provided between plates 229 and 231.

Intermediate of plates 229 and 231 is an angle element 236 which has a slot 250 extending through the vertical flange 237 of the angle element.

The binding plate 230 has secured to the undersurface thereof by means of fasteners 258 a plate element 260 which has a tongue element 264 projecting beyond the end 262 of the plate 230. The tongue element 264 is loosely received in slot 250 when the bracket assembly is assembled. The functions attributed to the embodiment of FIGURES 6-9 will be afforded by the embodiment of FIGURES 11a, 12 and 13.

The plate has suitably tapped portions disposed in transversely spaced relation in which are adjustably received abutment screws 266 and 268, the lower ends of the screws being engageable with the horizontal portion of angle element 236; see FIGURE 13. The upper ends of the screws 266 and 268 are suitably kerfed to accommodate a screwdriver blade edge, for example. The mounting plate 230 is apertured at 233 and 235 to expose the kerfed heads of the screws 266 and 268 and permit ready adjustment of the screws 266, 268 with respect to the angle element 236.

As shown in FIGURE 13, the adjustment shown would result in more immediate edging of edge 222 of the ski runner 212 as compared with edging of edge 224, for example, i.e., asymmetrical edging is afforded.

It will be immediately apparent that if the screws 266, 268 are run down into engagement with the element 236, all lost motion may be eliminated, i.e., the torque is applied directly through the mounting plate 230 to the ski edge, and a conventionally-operating ski is afforded.

When adjusting in the field, it will generally be the relatively expert skier who appreciates the exact nature of the adjustment being made and has the ability to use the skis in a manner to fully appreciate the extent to which asymmetric edging is provided.

Considering FIGURES 11b, 14 and 15, a still further embodiment of the novel adjustable-torque ski is indicated generally at 300. In the embodiment of FIGURES 11b,

14 and 15, a boot binding plate 330 is provided closer to the upper surface of the ski runner 312 than in the embodiment of FIGURE 11a, i.e., a lower center of gravity is provided in the embodiment of FIGURE 11b.

Binding plate 330 is retained at opposite ends by mounting elements 326 and 328. Since the mounting elements 326 and 328 are identical, only element 326 will be described in detail.

The element 326 includes an L-shaped base element 336 suitably secured on the upper surface of the ski runner 312. The base element has a vertical flange 337 which has a transversely elongated slot 350 therethrough. A boot binding mounting plate 330 has secured to the undersurface thereof a plate 360 by means of fastening elements 358, for example. The plate 360 has a tongue element 364 which projects beyond the end 362 of plate 330.

The plate 360 has tapped apertures in which are adjustably received abutment screws 366 and 368. The lower ends of screws 366, 368 are adjustable relative to the upper surface of base element 336; see FIGURE 15, and the binding plate 330 has apertures 333 and 335 exposing the upper kerfed ends of the screws 366 and 368, respectively.

The embodiment of FIGURES 11b, 14 and 15 is adjusted and functions in the same manner as the embodiment of FIGURES 11a, 12 and 13, and thus a detailed description of the operation is apparently unnecessary.

The various mounting elements 26, 28; 126, 128; 226, 228; and 326, 328 of the respective embodiments are interchangeable, i.e., one of the nonadjustable embodiments could be combined with one of the adjustable embodiments, if it is proved desirable to have only asymmetrical torque characteristics at the tail of the ski runner member, for example.

Briefly, in review, the ski runners as seen in FIGURES 2 and 6 have to a degree independently functioning tip and tail sections. Further, a lost motion connection is provided between one or both binding elements and the ski runner to insure sideslip and subsequent edging when negotiating Christie and parallel turns, and in addition to assured sideslip, asymmetric edging is adjustable to facilitate a differential in torque response between the respective ski edges.

It will be obvious to those skilled in the art that various changes may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention and therefore the invention is not limited to what is shown in the drawings and described in the specification but only as indicated in the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A ski assembly comprising an elongated runner member having a tip and tail portion and side edges, and

a binding mounting assembly on said runner member intermediately of said tip and tail portions, said binding mounting assembly comprising a pair of longitudinally spaced mounting elements secured to and extending vertically from the upper surface of said runer member, and a mounting plate connected to and extending between said mounting elements, and variable torsion-control means interposed between each of said mounting elements and said mounting plate for providing different effective transverse torque to be imposed on the side edges of said ski runner forwardly and rearwardly of said mounting elements by the skier when skiing.

2. The structure as claimed in claim 1 in which said torsion control means comprises variable width block elements disposed between said respective mounting elements and said mounting plate, said block elements having longitudinal side edges disposed at different inwardly spaced relationships from the adjacent side edges of said ski member.

3. The structure of claim 1 in which said ski member includes a lower running surface having a plurality of undulations spaced longitudinally along said runner member, said undulations defining substantially independent sections on said runner member, said independent runner sections having different torsional characteristics and extending forwardly and rearwardly from said mounting elements, said undulations including upwardly disposed concave portions on the undersurface of said runner member and having a crest disposed substantially beneath said mounting elements.

4. The structure as claimed in claim 1 in which said mounting elements comprise bracket elements between which said mounting plate extends.

5. The structure as claimed in claim 4 in which said mounting plate includes a lost motion connection means with at least one of said bracket elements for permitting said mounting plate to have limited free movement about its longitudinal axis at said one bnacket element.

6. The structure as claimed in claim 5 in which said lost motion connection means comprises a tongue portion extending longitudinally from one end of said mounting plate, said one bracket including an aperture portion through which said tongue portion projects, said mounting plate having limited free movement about its longitudinal axis within said aperture portion.

7. The structure as claimed in claim 6 in which said mounting plate includes a pair of longitudinally extending pin elements flanking said tongue portion, said bracket element including apertures flanking said first mentioned aperture portion and through which said pin elements project.

8. The structure as claimed in claim 6 including adjustable stop means extending through said mounting plate at opposite sides of said tongue element for adjusting the torque imposed on side edges of said skimember by said skier.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,250,684 7/1941 Svensson 2801 1.13 2,377,504 6/1945 Lermont 28011.13 2,499,639 3/ 1950 Forseth 28022 2,550,002 4/1951 Chorney 28011.13 2,950,118 8/1960 Sharpe 28011.14

FOREIGN PATENTS 810,762 1/ 1937 France.

116,434 5/ 1946 Sweden.

187,726 2/ 1937 Switzerland.

BENJAMIN HERSH, Primary Examiner.

MILTON L. SMITH, Examiner. 

1. A SKI ASSEMBLY COMPRISING AN ELONGATED RUNNER MEMBER HAVING A TIP AND TAIL PORTION AND SIDE EDGES, AND A BINDING MOUNTING ASSEMBLY ON SAID RUNNER MEMBER INTERMEDIATELY OF SAID TIP AND TIAL PORTIONS, SAID BINDING MOUNTING ASSEMBLY COMPRISING A PAIR OF LONGITUDINALLY SPACED MOUNTING ELEMENTS SECURED TO AND EXTENDING VERTICALLY FROM THE UPPER SURFACE OF SAID RUNNER MEMBER, AND A MOUNTING PLATE CONNECTED TO AND EXTENDING BETWEEN SAID MOUNTING ELEMENTS, AND VARIABLE TORSION-CONTROL MEANS INTERPOSED BETWEEN EACH OF SAID MOUNTING ELEMENTS AND SAID MOUNTING PLATE FOR PROVIDING DIFFERENT EFFECTIVE TRANSVERSE TORQUE TO BE IMPOSED ON THE SIDE EDGES OF SAID SKI RUNNER FORWARDLY AND REARWARDLY OF SAID MOUNTING ELEMENTS BY THE SKIER WHEN SKIING. 